


Clearing the Air

by Jaspre_Rose



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:54:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaspre_Rose/pseuds/Jaspre_Rose
Summary: This is a slightly different take on what happens after the "School Reunion" and "The Girl in the Fireplace" episodes. Long before my story, "Fallout" was written, there was this idea. It's been rattling around so I went ahead and wrote it out.A diversionary snog in a dark alley leads to a conversation back on the TARDIS that finally clears up a few things regarding where things stand between them.In the end, it's a cute story with both metaphorical and literal bedpost carving. That' s not an exaggeration, either. Oh, these two.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Clearing the Air

“I can't believe you did something so characteristically _me._ ”

Perhaps to really drive his point home, the Doctor groaned and she panted for breath as they turned the corner. After neatly avoiding a trio of humanoid beings (possibly just human), he tugged her into a dark alley and hurried further into the shadows.

“I didn’t mean to insult the Queen,” Rose insisted. “I thought that’s the one you said was the King. I wasn’t trying to be rude!”

“If you hadn’t been busy gawking at that serving boy, you might have heard me.”

“First of all, I wasn’t gawking at anyone, Doctor, much less that server you kept giving dirty looks to. Second, _I’m_ not the one who went out of their way to tell the Princess how gorgeous that diamond necklace was and oh, may I get a closer look at it? I'm definitely not being super bloody obvious about staring at her cleavage when I'm supposed to be your husband right now, Rose, so you don’t get carried off because don’t you know unclaimed women here get forced into marriage? Blehhhh.”

Rose shot him an indignant look and the Doctor scoffed.

“I wasn’t staring at her cleavage, Rose,” he hissed and looked over his shoulder. “Her necklace was a fake. That’s why I was looking at her so long. I was trying to determine what exactly it is made of because it sure as hell isn’t diamonds.”

Yelling from outside the alley drowned out her disbelieving snort and Rose looked at the dead end they were coming up on. What sort of stupid alley had a dead end? The Doctor tugged her to an abrupt stop, shoved her into the wall, and pressed his hips into her. She quickly pushed him back by the shoulders and looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“What are you doing?”

“Don’t say a word,” he commanded, “and follow my lead.”

“Rude.”

Giving her a frustrated look, he grabbed her hair up tightly, twisted it around, and somehow pinned it at the nape of her neck with his tie clip. Then his jacket, her shirt, and his tie were on the ground in a mud puddle in the blink of an eye and her leg was around his hip. Without warning, his tongue was in her mouth and she felt him unbuttoning first his shirt and then his trousers.

She remained frozen until his tongue flicked hers a third time and then she was twining her tongue with his, feeling quite befuddled by the turn of events. He ground his hips into hers and she grabbed at his sides in surprise as he did it again. He then groaned into her mouth, sounding aggravated, and Rose gasped.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that,” he whispered against her lips. “Make it good, Rose.”

Brows arching, he looked back the way they came and it clicked. Finally understanding, Rose grabbed his shoulders, hopped up, and once he realized what she was doing, he helped get her legs wrapped around his waist. Using his body to keep her up, the Doctor caught her lips once more and she moaned breathily. After pushing her skirt up, his hands came up to her cheeks, his thumbs stroking her eyebrows, and Rose slid her hands up the backs of his undershirt and button up so she could clutch at his shoulder blades. He hummed approvingly and Rose jolted upwards when he rocked into her. Knowing they’d been spotted, Rose cried into the Doctor’s mouth, sounding quite impassioned if she did say so herself, and arched into him.

“You there! Off-worlder!”

Though they’d both heard the bodies storming into the alley, the Doctor let out a believable sound of surprise and wrapped his button up around her in an effort to hide her half-nakedness. Rose let out a breathy squeak, pressed her face closer, and ducked down into the cover of his shirt like she was mortified. Face against his body, Rose covered the entirety of her cheeks with her hands.

“Oh, dear,” the Doctor laughed self-consciously, sounding so very young and awkward, and made a dramatic show of lowering her legs to the ground and tugging her skirt back down. His shirt went right back around her. “I'm so sorry you had to see this. We didn’t think anyone would come down here.”

A man cleared his throat. “Yes, well, we’re, ahum, looking for a woman. Have you seen anyone acting suspiciously?”

“No, I haven’t seen anybody. It’s just been us.” The Doctor lowered his voice to say, “We just ate at the restaurant next door and had the honeymoon special…”

“Ah.” The man smothered a chuckle. “Perhaps you both better move to a safer location, young man. One out of the public eye.”

A slightly embarrassed laugh escaped the Doctor and she felt him nodding.

“I'm very sorry, sir. We’ll… we’ll go elsewhere once we’re decent. I apologize.”

The Doctor kept his shirt around her until the sound of stomping feet left the alley. Sucking in a deep breath, he handed over his button up for her to put on and hurriedly gathered up their muddy clothing from the ground. Grabbing her hand, he jogged to the mouth of the alley, checked the way, and then they were running for the TARDIS.

They were nearly inside when a palace guard caught sight of them. The Doctor shoved her through the opened door, arched backwards out of the way of the guard’s sword, and darted off to the left. The door slammed shut of its own power and from the sounds of it, the guard gave up on opening the door and tore after the Doctor instead.

The Doctor was back before she could think of a way to help him. He slammed the door behind him, sagged against it, and started laughing after a moment.

“Boy, Rose, when you do rude, you do it well.”

“Yeah, well, I’d apologize but you never do.” The Doctor rolled his eyes, a cute grin on his lips, and Rose held his shirt closed as much as she could. “That was a brilliant plan you had back there.”

The Doctor nodded. “Thanks.”

“Came up with it awful fast. Makes me wonder how many times you’ve done it.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“What? I'm not saying anything.” His eyes narrowed skeptically and she snickered. “Well, not too much of anything. Am I the first girl you’ve stripped in a dark alley, Doctor?”

“You’re the first _woman_ who’s asked me that while wearing my shirt. Good enough?”

Rose chuckled. “Conveniently did not answer my question.”

“You know, next time, I could just let them catch you out in a dead-end alley. Would you prefer that?”

“Mm, no. I’ll take the snog sesh over the death penalty, thanks.” The Doctor huffed, sounding thoroughly annoyed, and pushed himself off the door. “Might wanna hold onto that one for next time. It worked much better than I thought it would.”

“I'm glad you approve.” She opened her mouth and he held up a finger. “Before you ask, no, I don’t make it a habit to strip women of their clothing every time I turn around.”

Rose chuckled. “Well, now that I don’t believe.”

He stopped, his hand hovering over a button on the console, and gave her a look. She shrugged at him and a frustrated sound escaped him.

“What are you talking about?”

“Princess Arella, Reinette, the tree lady, me now, Queen Elizabeth, probably more.”

“I only snogged Reinette and – Rose, are we having a fight? Because this is feeling very attack-y right now.”

“Not meaning to be. Honest. Just saying you have a habit of disappearing on me and that contradicted what you just said.”

“I disappear on you?”

“Yeah,” she replied, surprised. “I mean, I get it.”

“You… get it? Could I get it?”

“I mean, you’re attractive and you know it. You take advantage of that when the mood strikes you. You don’t so much as flirt but seduce. It’s perfect for someone like you.”

“I’m-” His eyes widened and he looked annoyed. “Someone like me?”

“Oh, you know. You’re the fun guy, not the forever guy.”

He looked incredibly offended at her statement and Rose frowned. He _knew_ he wasn’t the building a life together kind of guy. He was _not_ the forever guy. Why was he getting upset? There was even a sliver of hurt in his eye and she couldn’t fathom why it was there. He himself had said domestic happiness wasn’t his thing. He’d always had a problem with domestics. The Doctor frowned heavily and looked away from her.

“I don’t think anyone has ever before said something so rude to me, Rose, and I’ve made a lot of enemies in my long life.”

“I wasn’t being rude at all.” She was smiling understandingly at him, not that he could see since he was still looking anywhere but her. “That’s just who you are, Doctor. You don’t _want_ to be the forever guy and that’s okay. You’re not the settling down type so you can get away with using your good looks to score whoever you want without looking like a jerk. That’s not a bad thing.”

“Wow.”

“Why are you making that face? I'm not judging you. I don’t think you’re a bad man. I'm saying I understand.”

“Oh, do you?” He finally looked at her. “You understand that I'm just a passing fancy for some women who are loose enough to sleep with a man they just met? You understand that I would use my looks to entice an anonymous woman into dropping her knickers for a quick romp? Hmm?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds much worse than it is.”

The Doctor breathed heavily for a moment. “I don’t know that there is any other way that could sound, Rose. Is that how you really feel about me?”

“You’re angry. Doctor,” Rose sighed. “You’ve never been subtle when you’ve shagged someone in the past and I know you have. Several times. You can't tell me you knew all those women for more than a day beforehand. Not all of them.”

“Besides Reinette, who was a special circumstance, can you pinpoint any one woman I’ve snuck off with since you came onboard?”

“Uh, yeah. There was the tree lady our first trip out, the-”

“I never – Know what? Forget I asked,” the Doctor said irritably and then pushed out a deep breath. He sounded like his usual self when he asked, “What do you wanna do now?”

“I want you to stop being angry about the way you’re interpreting your own behavior.”

“I'm not angry about the way I'm interpreting my own behavior. I'm upset that you think so poorly of me.”

“Poorly? I don’t think poorly of you at all. You’re naturally flirty and you enjoy a little company every now and then. Just like everyone else.”

“Thanks.”

“You still sound grumpy. I wasn’t trying to be mean.”

“By informing me you think I will forever go around randomly shoving my manhood into any hole I find remotely accommodating.”

Rose snickered. “Well, not precisely.”

“That’s the way it sounded.”

“Maybe to you.”

“Can we just change the subject please?”

“Okay, fine. Just know I’m not judging you. Maybe keeping that in mind will get that face you’re making to go away.”

The Doctor scowled. “Are you done yet?”

“Wait. I just have one more thing to say.”

“If you’re about to start in again on Princess Arella or any of the other names you think I’ve carved into my bed post, you can just stop.”

“Well, I mean, they don’t make it back here, do they?”

“Rose.”

“And that’s not what I was gonna say. I was gonna say…” Rose grinned at him. “That was the best snog I’ve gotten in a while. Ta.”

“Yes, well, apparently I get _tons_ of practice.”

The Doctor gave her a sour look and Rose chuckled.

“I don’t know why it bothers you so much. Everybody has needs, Doctor, and I did say I wasn’t judging you.”

“Why are we still talking about this?”

“Because you’re still angry about the way you think I see you when that’s not what I see at all. As I’ve said.”

The Doctor crossed his arms over his bare chest. “You’ve said a lot.”

“All facts, though, and again, I’m not judging you. You’re judging you and really, that’s just silly.”

“Are you done?”

“Are you? You’re the one who’s upset.”

“Because you’re painting me to be some – some lothario with no bed post left to speak of.”

Rose snorted out a laugh. “I am not. You’re not Jack, after all.”

“Least I have that going for me. I’m not Jack.”

“Yeah, he’s actually proud of his conquests, though.”

“Hmph.”

Rose looked at the Doctor and frowned. He was genuinely upset, she’d seen that, but his arms were still crossed over his chest and it was actually starting to look like he was hugging himself. Her frown deepened and she felt the need to give him a hug of her own.

It took him a moment to relax his tense stance and Rose continued hugging him even though he’d yet to uncross his arms let alone to hug her back.

“Look,” she said into his chest. “I really, really don’t think you’re a bad man and I never have. I'm not judging you for anything, much less for that stuff you’re upset about. I wouldn’t stick around if I thought you were the kind of guy you think I do.”

“You’re right. Everybody likes the fun guy, don’t they?”

Ah. Was that the root of it, then? Rose sighed.

“Maybe my word choice wasn’t right. When I said you're not the ‘forever guy,’ I didn’t mean anything bad. I meant you’re not the guy who wants to settle down somewhere in domestic bliss. You don’t do domestics, remember?”

“Rose, last Christmas, we stayed at your mother’s for an entire week. We, not you. I helped you two make Christmas dinner.”

Rose thought about that and noted his arms seemed looser around his body. She smiled and rubbed the skin at the small of his back.

“Well, maybe you do domestics with me sometimes. Must not be entirely against your will, either.” The Doctor sighed and when she continued rubbing his back, he finally slipped his arms from between them and loosely held her. The hair on his tummy tickled her navel, but she tried to ignore that. “Thank you. I was fully prepared to do this all night until you hugged me back.”

“Because you’re stubborn.”

A breathy laugh escaped her as the Doctor squeezed her.

“Now that’s a good hug.”

“I can give those.”

After a long moment of silence, Rose furrowed her brows and rested her temple on his chest.

“Is that why you were so upset? Because I said you weren’t the forever guy?” He didn’t say anything but that was answer enough and she let out a huff of disbelief. “I'm sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“I did have to, though, because, well, after I met Sarah Jane and you and I had that one serious talk – You remember the one?”

“Hard to forget. What about it?”

“Um, because after that, I guess I just moved you from one column to the other. I didn’t consider that just because you pointed out our forevers weren’t the same didn’t mean you…”

“Ah. _Now_ I understand.”

“You do?”

The Doctor nodded. “We should have discussed that at length, I'm thinking.”

“Probably would’ve helped us avoid what I said earlier.” Rose felt the Doctor nod again and leaned back so she could see him. “I'm sorry I hurt you earlier. I really wasn’t meaning to.”

“I know. You’ve never intentionally done that before. Didn’t stop a few things from stinging, though.” The Doctor smiled at her. “I'm glad you kept talking until I understood.”

“Sorry about the stings.”

Still smiling, the Doctor looked down at first his chest and then hers.

“I should go put on a shirt.” He gestured to the dirty pile of clothing by the door. “We’ll need to clean all that once I'm done. They’ve mud all over them.”

Rose chuckled. “You just had to throw them right into a mud puddle.”

“I was in a hurry. You might recall we were being chased by armed guards and I had only so much time to think up a diversion.”

“Yeah, no, that part’s blurry now. All I remember is getting a grand snog and then legging it back here in someone else’s shirt.”

The Doctor snorted. “Humans.”

Rose copied him. “Aliens.”

“Don’t ever change, Rose.” Grinning, Rose looked down at her borrowed shirt and the Doctor laughed while nodding. “I meant yourself, but I suppose that works, too. Does fit you well enough. At least in most areas.”

He plucked at the collar of the shirt she was wearing and Rose giggled.

“I got most of it buttoned up. You can’t see anything.”

“Yeah, sure.” The Doctor stepped back fully and turned. “I’ll return. Just need a new shirt and then we’ll take care of that mess. While I'm gone, be thinking about what we can do after. Maybe we could finish that conversation about our forevers. Feel like there’s a point I was trying to make that you weren’t getting until about three minutes ago.”

Her tummy fluttered and he gave her a pointed look.

“Alright. Have fun.” Rose got an amused look from him and waited until he was almost out of the control room to tack on, “How are your bed posts?”

The Doctor half-turned to see her. “What?”

“I said, ‘how are your bed posts?’ Think they can handle a little woodworking?” His lips twitched and Rose grinned. “Just thinking about what we can do after.”

“Ah. Well, I think you’ll find they’re intact. They could probably handle some sort of design or inscription.”

“Mm. That’s good to hear.”

The Doctor nodded, directed a grin of his own at the grating, and then turned back around. He took exactly two steps and then glanced over his shoulder.

“You coming?”

She was at his side in three seconds flat. After giving her a soft smile, he wove their fingers together and started leading her down the hall.

They could talk later.

***

“What do you think?”

“I think we did things out of order,” Rose said sleepily. “Should’ve had that talk first. The shag would’ve woken me up a little. Who knew you wouldn’t be able to shut your gob once you opened it?”

“Think you probably could have predicted that.”

“Should’ve known, yeah. What are you doing?”

“Waiting for you to regain some of your energy. You know, I didn’t talk all that long, Rose. This is ridiculous.”

“It was at least an hour long and that was after we shared a really great shag, Doctor.”

“Yeah, that was fun.” The Doctor happily hummed to himself. “Anyway. Rose, are you falling asleep?”

“Why? Want another go?”

“Would wake you up enough to see what I’ve done.”

Rose snorted, cuddled further into the Doctor’s pillow, and then opened her eyes. He was on his knees on the side of the bed and was grinning widely at her.

“What _are_ you doing?”

“Waiting to see what you think of my handiwork.” He continued gesturing to his right and Rose glanced over before bursting into giggles. “What do you think? Personally, I think it looks lovely.”

“ _How_ did you engrave my name on your bed post without me hearing?” Rose continued to giggle and felt the Doctor rub a hand along her spine. “That has to be the funniest but sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me in the bedroom.”

“I'm just that good,” the Doctor said, still grinning and now brushing his hair back with his free hand. “My God, you’re a lucky woman.”

“Think so, too, yeah.” Rose surveyed the jimjam bottoms he’d thrown on after their shag earlier and then met his gaze. “Feel like losing those or can I sleep?”

“How badly do you need sleep?”

“I can hold off a while,” Rose said with a playful grin. “And hey, once I'm finally out, maybe you can add a smiley face or something under my name.”

The Doctor glanced at his bed post and chuckled.

“Just might do that, actually. For now, though…”

***

The Doctor was in the shower when Rose woke up and looked to the bed post to see if he’d added anything. She was delighted to see a heart below her name.

Smiling to herself, she grabbed his sonic and tested it on the other bedpost to see if it was still on the right setting. Seeing the little dot she made, she grinned to herself and decided to add a little something to the Doctor’s work. After a little bit, she heard the shower cut off so she was relaxed and looking not suspicious at all when he made it back to his bedroom.

“Oh, you’re finally awake, are you? Good. You should know this room isn’t nearly as much fun when you’re waiting on a human to wake up from a completely unnecessary nap, Rose.”

“You’re the reason I needed a nap in the first place.”

The Doctor chuckled smugly. “Yeah.”

“I fixed your note, by the way.”

“My note?” The Doctor immediately looked at his bed post. “Did you not like my – Oh.” He grinned. “Rose hearts the Doctor. I like that.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“I’m gonna have to fix that, though. Mind?” He held out his hand and Rose handed over the sonic, curious. When he finally let her see it, she smiled happily. “Rose hearts her Doctor. Sounds better, I think.”

“Sorry, no. May I?”

Grinning, he handed over the sonic and tried to look over her bare shoulder as she worked.

“Rose, it’s my bed post. Lemme see!”

“I’m not done yet. Quit it.”

“Ah,” he sighed when he finally caught a look on her last letter. “Rose hearts her Doctor forever. Much better, but you’ve made a little mistake. I’ll fix it.”

Grabbing the sonic out of her hand and merely grinning at her calling him rude, he shouldered his way in front of her and effectively blocked her view each time she tried to see around him.

“It’s ridiculous how you always manage to block my view. Move your bum.”

“It’s not my bum in the way. There! Now it’s perfect.”

“Then move so I can see.”

After being blocked from seeing it for a few more seconds, Rose finally managed to shove him over onto the bed and he landed with a small laugh. She disregarded him wiggling around into a more comfortable position and stared at what he’d written.

“Rose hearts her forever guy,” he said into the silence. “Now that sounds perfect and I dare you to deny it.”

“Oh, this just won’t do.” She glanced over and noted his worried expression. “Doctor, there’s nothing I can add to this.”

His smile was as blinding as the bloody sun.

“Pity. I was enjoying that.” He sighed. “Ah, well. It’ll give us a chuckle later, I’m sure. Now. I’m going to dress and then go forage for our breakfast while you’re ta-”

He never got to finish his statement and they both needed showers and _dinner_ by the time she was done with him.

Her forever guy indeed. Now that was a great start to forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read it and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> XX Jaspre Rose


End file.
